I Drive Your Truck
by jazznsmoke
Summary: A story in honor of Meth Day, to the song I Drive Your Truck by Lee Brice. Content warning: Feels. Many, many feels.
1. Chapter 1

Beth slowly opened the drivers door of the truck and climbed in. She took a deep breatah and inhaled the remnants of the distinct Merle scent. She let it wash over her and bring her a little bit of comfort. She took note of what he had left in there. Almost a dollar in change left in the duty box, a neatly folded Go Army t-shirt on the back seat; an unopened bottle of Cola in the cup holder.

She slipped the keys into the ignition and flipped on the radio. She left the station where he left it; a country station and cranked it up. She let a tear trickle down, thinking to herself that Merle would be pissed she's crying over him.

_The ringing of her cell phone brought the blonde from her memories of her late husband. She took a moment before answering. _

_"Hi, mama." _

_"Hi, baby. How are ya holdin' up?" _

_"As good as can be expected." _

_"Have ya been to his grave? I know it hurts to think about it, but goin' an' talakin' to him might help. Your daddy still visit's Maggie's mama's grave." _

_"I can't, Mama. Not yet. It hurts too much."_

_"I'm sorry, baby." Annette whispered._

_"Me too," _

_"None o' this is what ya want to be thinkin' about, Beth, but I have to ask ya before the companies take your options away from ya." _

_"'S okay." She whipsered, feeling broken. _

_"Have you made arrangements about his bike? Get it considered totalled or arranged to be brought home?" _

_"I took care o' it, got it sent to Daryl's cause he wanted it. Signed the title over to him." _

_"Good. Have ya talked to Daryl since?" Her mama's unspoken 'since Merle died,' hung in the air. _

_"Everyday. He's practically moved in. I'm all he's got now. We're leanin' on each other heavily. If we weren't close before we are now." _

She sat in the truck with the radio up loud before she rolled down the windows and pulled the dog tags from around her neck off. Beth hung them from the rear view mirror and pulled out of the driveway. She drove all over the back roads until she found an empty field. She tore the field up by doing cookies anad driving until there was just enough gas to get her home.

Driving Merle's truck felt like he was there with her, surrounded by his scent, his belongings, his favorite music. For the first time since his wreck she felt him there with her, reassuring and heart breaaking all at once. Being in his truck had her feeling closer to Merle than she would feel by just going to his grave to 'visit' him.

Beth drove home slowly, relishing in the feeling of being close to Merle for the first time in months, the first time since she had lost him. She stopped long enough to fill the truck up with gas. Merle's voice in her head told her 'it's damn expansive ta fill the tank in this thang, Suga. Don't be waistin' the gas on me." She knew she would not be listening to his words of wisdom. She would spend every dime she had just to feel close to him again.


	2. Chapter 2

Two months went by with Beth driving Merle's truck almost constantly, even though she has a better-on-gas car of her own. Almost every day Daryl came over for at least a few hours to keep themselves company and be sure the other wasn't consumed by their grief.

On the six month anniversary of Merle's death, Beth sat on the couch with tears streaming down her face. She clutched hers and Merle's wedding photo to her chest. The sound of a motorcycle heading closer her small cabin penetrated the quiet. SHe twisted around and looked out the window. There's no way she could mistake the sound of that motorcycle. She had heard it almost every day for ten years.

She watched for a a few seconds at the window, the motorcycle obviously getting closer, before getting up and going out to the porch. Within moments the bike came into view.

Merle's bike, Merle's bike with Daryl astride it. More tears fell as Daryl pulled in front of the her on the porch, the bike parked sideways. He pulled the helmet off before shaking his shaggy hair out and joining her on the proch. He wrapped his arms around her in a soothing hug. "I rebuilt it. Needed ta do something, ya know?"

Beth nodded into his chest as she attempted to stop her tears. When she got the tears under control, somewhat, she pulled back to look at Daryl. "Ya fixed it," She repeated.

"Yeah. C'mon an' give 'er a look." He took her hand in his and led her to the bike. He pointed out the things he had replaced and fixed before leading her to the otherside of the bike. Her jaw dropped and a surprised 'oh' escaped her lips. "I had his name stenciled on tha' side when she got repainted." He motioned to the lettering on the side in shiny silver.

"Dar, it's beautiful. Merle woulda hated this, ya know?" She giggled, enjoying the mental image of Merle throwing a fit over the writing on his bike.

"Yeah, I know." Daryl smirked, "But I didn't do it fer him. Did it fer me an' ya,"

She turned from the bike and threw her arms around Daryl's neck.

"Put on shoes. We got thangs ta do," Daryl instructed after she had finished hugging him.

Once her shoes were on they got on the bike and drove for awhile. Beth pressed her face against the wings on Daryl's vest, letting the feeling of just being on Merle's bike take over. The sensation filling her was the same as everytime she drove Merle's truck. When Daryl pulled the motorcycle to a stop and shut if off she looked around. Her body was quick to fill with sorrow as she looked around the cementary and the short distance to Merle's grave. Daryl hadn't parked far from it.

They got off the bike anad Beth looked at Daryl questioningly. "I ain't been here since his funeral, Beth, an' I, uh, I couldn't come on my own, ya know?"

"I haven't either," She admitted in a whisper.

"I know. 'S time we both face it," He spoke softly. "Yer all I got."

* * *

Beth hesitantly walked the last few steps to Merle's grave and knelt in front of his tombstone. She lovingly traced the letters on it, letting her tears fall once again. "You made it home to me from the war, Merle, ya overcame the drugs just ta get killed on the way home from work. Ironic, ain't it? Ya got killed by a drunk driver. I miss ya so fuckin' much. I wake up an' it takes me awhile to realize ya aren't in bed next ta me. I keep expectin' little things that ya always do an' yer not there. You are not there, Merle. I driver yer truck all the time, ya know, jus' 'cause I feel like yer there wit' me. Ya'd think it's stupid if ya were here." She spoke around her heart wrenching sobs that shook her entire body. "I miss ya callin' me Sugar' an' 'angel'. I miss seein' those blue eyes of yours. We were goin' to spend forever together, remember? How'm I supposed to do this? I miss you,"

She stood shakily and went back to Daryl. His hand rubbed her back befoe he made his own waay to Merle's grave.

Beth heard every word Daryl spoke to his brother, just like he had heard every word she spoke. "Yer prolly watchin' an' callin' me a fuckin' pussy, ain't'cha, Merle? Yer wife's a mess without ya. Imma keep an eye on yer woman ana' get her through losin' ya. Ya were right, she's got the heart o' a Dixon a'right. Ya were a good man, always tryin' ta save me from Pop. I wish I could thaank ya fer that. Too late now, ain't it? Beth an' me will be a'right. I'll keep yer truck tuned up fer her. Don't make a nuisance o' yerself where ever ya are."

* * *

They walked back to the motorcyle with their fingers laced together and Beth tucked firmly under her brother-in-law's arm against his side.


End file.
